January 13 – Happy Birthday, Michael Bond!

Posted
on January 13, 2016

He
dropped out of school at age 14, but he now has an Honorary Doctor of
Letters from a university.

He
survived a deadly air raid during World War II and then volunteered
for the Royal Air Force when he was just 17, but he was discharged
for air sickness – and spent the rest of the war serving in the
British Army.

Born on this date in 1926, Michael Bond said he wouldn't mind being a writer—he'd already sold a short story or
two, and he'd produced a few plays—but his main job was being a BBC
television cameraman.

But that was before he published his first
book, A Bear Called Paddington. That story—about a bear from
Darkest Peru, whose Aunt Lucy sends him to England wearing an old hat
and a duffle coat, and carrying a jar of marmalade—was a big hit.

How
big? Big enough that Bond has written 26 Paddington books, which have
been published in around 20 countries in over 40 languages. Big
enough that more than 35 million Paddington books have been sold! Big
enough that there has been a film, a TV series, and countless stuffed
/ plush Paddington bears. Big enough that there have ALSO been many
other assorted items—from smocks and a special Paddington Bear
duffle coat to lunch boxes and suitcases—and even Paddington Bear
marmalade!

Paddington Bear has a million different "looks,"from animated cartoon to plush toy, to CGI movie.

Big
enough that Paddington Bear has appeared on a Royal Mail stamp, on a
Google doodle, and with one of the balloons of the traditional Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade.

According to Wikipedia, Paddington
Bear has even inspired “pop bands, race horses, plays...” In
2014, Paddington Trail was launched in London, with 50 Paddington
Bear statues made by artists, designers, and celebrities placed near parks, shops, and landmarks. After Londoners and
tourists enjoyed following the trail for a few months, the statues
were auctioned off, with the proceeds going to charity.

Here are just a few of the bear statues:

Some celebrities posed with "their" bear statues.Here is Benedict Cumberbatch with his Sherlock Bear.

As opposed to all those temporaryLondon statues decorated sodifferently by celebrities, thisPaddington Bear statue is permanentlyon display - at the Paddington Station!

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